Mini Machine, Monumental Dream: Mistubishi ‘Minicab’ and the Journey to the Heart of Kei-Car Culture

1,700 km across Japan for a car meet

Various car events are held all over Japan. Mr. Mitsuse, an owner of a Mitsubishi “Minicab,” whom we met at the “12th U-550 Old Kei-car Meeting” in Ehime Prefecture, was a strong participant from a long distance, having traveled 1,700 km from Hokkaido with his son.

From Hokkaido to a dream

“I saw the organizers of this event having fun in old kei-cars on SNS, and that’s when I started admiring them. I kept thinking that one day I would like to participate and finally that dream came true.”

The only vehicles that meet the entry requirements for this event are old kei-cars with a displacement of 550cc or less. So he started looking for various old and small vehicles, and as a result, in addition to the Minicab he brought this time, he fell into the maniacal swamp of so-called micro cars, such as the Mitsuoka MC-1, the BUBU 501, and the Daihatsu Midget, an auto three-wheeled vehicle.

Vehicle Inspection: Failed 14 Times

Mr. Mitsuse’s Mitsubishi Minicab is a second-generation 1973 model; the first-generation, introduced in 1966, was a truck. A van was added two years later, but only the truck underwent a full model change in 1971. The van underwent a series of minor changes, and the first-generation design continued to be sold until 1976.

“I like that cars of this era are not equipped with computers, so they are easy to repair and maintain, even for me as an amateur. I maintain the engine with a friend of mine, but I look after the rest of the car myself as much as possible. But I couldn’t pass the emissions test on my car, it failed 14 times in two days. I’m not a professional, so I don’t have much knowledge about what to do, and that was the hardest thing for me.”

The line inspection on the second day came after a series of failures. He miraculously passed just in time for the last slot in the afternoon. Thanks to that, he was able to participate in the event he had longed for this time.

Hokkaido specs in a different climate

This event was unique in that we gathered at a designated location and all participants rode to the event site. From Hokkaido, it was trucks, but on this one occasion, of course, Mr. Mitsuse drove himself in a Minicab. However, the fact that the carburetor set-up was in keeping with the local seasonal climate proved to be a disaster.

“When I came in with Hokkaido specs, I almost overheated. We fudged it by adjusting the idling, but at first, I was very worried that we wouldn’t be able to run from the meeting point to the venue.”